Birmingham Crown Court heard the gang whose ages ranged from 19-36, travelled from their homes in the Handsworth and Smethwick areas of Birmingham to carry out nocturnal raids on rural stretches of the railway line between Evesham, Worcestershire, and Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire.

They struck 22 times between Nov 3 last year and May 24, stealing about 6,000 metres of cable.

Damage caused by the thefts often left 25,000-volt live wires along a 15 mile stretch of track between Evesham, Worcs., and Moreton-in-Marsh exposed.

The gang’s activities left Network Rail, the company responsible for Britain’s track infrastructure, with a bill approaching £500,000 to repair and replace the cable as well as compensating train operators for the disruption to their timetable.

Michael Duck, prosecuting, told the court how British Transport Police started investigating the thefts after Network Rail reported a loss of power to its signals around Chipping Camden, Gloucestershire.

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BTP officers discovered a section of cable that had been cut and left for collection by the group at the side of the rails.

Further complaints of disruption along the Cotswold line triggered a major operation by BTP, who patrolled the line at night and used hidden cameras to track the thieves movements.

The breakthrough came when police intercepted two men on the line at Blockley Crossing in the Cotswolds. After a chase, involving tracker dogs and police helicopters, they were arrested in the woods nearby.

A detailed examination of their phone records and other forensic evidence linked the two arrested men to a wave of thefts.

In May police raided five addresses in Handsworth and Smethwick arresting 11 men, eight of whom appeared in court – with a further three being released without charge.

Judge Robert Orme said there had been a level of sophistication attached to the thefts and each had a major impact on the rail network and passengers whose trains were delayed or cancelled as a result of the criminal activity.

"Trains were halted and reduced services were put in place leading to inconvenience for travellers and great cost to Network Rail," he said.

"These are clearly very serious offences of theft involving sustained, professional offending which require, in my view, a deterrent element in the sentencing."

Ringleaders Jan Trofin, 36, and Alexandru Tofaleanu, 29, were jailed for four years.

Fellow gang boss Mihai Mihart, 26, was jailed for four years and five months.

All three were also told they would be deported after serving their sentences.

Stefanel Ruset, 19, was jailed for two-and-a-half years, while Christian Toader, 24, two years nine months.

Other gang members who acted as 'foot soldiers' in the gang were jailed for their lesser roles in the conspiracy.

Mihai Binta, 27, and Florin Cojocaru, were both jailed for 20 months.

Costinel Mijloc, 24, was jailed for two years.

One of the men arrested near Paxford, Marius Stana, is thought to have fled back to Romania after being bailed.

Speaking after the case, Det Insp Andy Irwin Porter, who led the police investigation said: "These sentences show that it simply is not worth considering stealing cable from the rail network. Our officers will find you and do everything in our power to bring you to justice – just as we have seen in this hugely complex and demanding case.

"Eight men are now facing 23 years in jail between them, despite only receiving very little financial gain from the thefts they carried out.

"They caused massive disruption to the rail network and cost the industry.”